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Essen investigates child benefit fraud
The city of Essen in Germany has sparked a controversy regarding cases of fraudulent claims for pre-emptive child support benefits. Women receive documents indicating that the father lives abroad and does not pay child support, while authorities suspect that some of these children actually reside with their families within the city. Mayor Thomas Kufen warned against the organized and illegal misuse of the system, calling for stricter oversight and easier verification procedures, especially since current laws limit municipalities' ability to uncover such cases. The cost of pre-emptive support ranges from 227 to 394 euros per month per child. Verifying a father's place of residence faces legal restrictions related to data protection. The city believes that some exploitation of the system harms taxpayers through higher taxes and is working to amend laws to combat fraud. However, these cases remain under suspicion; no final court rulings have been issued yet.
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